Final Showdown? (Season 11 NBA 2K25)

Simon Carver

Welcome everybody to the 2k Bros Podcast, where every season is like a high-wire act and every loss... well, it stings just a little bit more than it probably should. I'm Simon, and, Jimbo, I gotta say—the NBA 2K25 era didn’t go quietly. Neither did Phillip or Joe. We closed the book with this ridiculous symmetry, right? Five championships for Phillip. Five for Joe. After season 11, literally dead even. Nobody can claim bragging rights. It’s like, I dunno, two boxers both landing the last punch right as the bell rings.

Jimbo

It doesn’t happen often, right? I mean, yeah, they both walked away with five apiece. And listen, Joe’s Spurs, they were all heart this year, finishing 11-3, Buzelis breaking out, Bam Adebayo being a, you know—a grown man in the paint. But Phillip's Bulls were just lighting up the scoreboard. 12-2, and Durant just couldn’t miss by the end of the regular season. Sometimes I wonder, were they competing against each other, or just the ghost of last season?

Simon Carver

Honestly, it kind of reminds me... You’re gonna laugh, but back in my high school rec league days—don’t worry, there are no highlight tapes—I was in this crazy tie-breaker for the last playoff spot. It came down to point differential, and we were there, calculators out on the sideline. Same nerves, same drama these two had, watching that championship tally level out. I know there’s no calculators on the sticks, but you can feel that pressure, right?

Jimbo

Absolutely, man. And what’s wild: both these guys had to recalibrate, like, on the fly all season long. Phillip playing this up-tempo, bucket-chasing style. Joe getting his squad to grind it out—more classic, physical, a little old-school. Really set the stage for what this rivalry means—winning looks different for each, but both got exactly the same result in the end.

Simon Carver

Yeah, and what’s left is this perfect parity, which, I mean, it’s almost poetic. We'll see if that can actually last next season, or if someone finally breaks the pattern. But for now, it’s a stalemate that feels earned.

Jimbo

So, let's dig into how we got there—Phillip’s Bulls, man, 67 points per game in the regular season. That’s big. Durant did his thing: 9.5 a night, but Malik Monk—guy had a plus-14.2 plus/minus, just crazy two-way impact. They were so efficient as a unit, like, nearly 53% shooting overall, 42% from deep. If you blinked, you probably missed a corner three.

Simon Carver

Watching the Bulls felt like, I dunno, a master class in motion offense. Every time the defense rotated, Monk or MPJ were in rhythm. But what jumps out is, yeah, they led the league in scoring—still held their opponents to just 50.1. There’s that balance.

Jimbo

But don't sleep on Joe's Spurs! Grit and grind, all season. Rookie Matas Buzelis—put up 16.2 a game, super impressive for a rookie leading a team. And Paul George, the steady vet, always good for nine or ten. But the real story to me might be Bam Adebayo—7.3 points, 7 rebounds, shooting 76.6%? Like, that's just...clinic-level efficiency.

Simon Carver

Totally. But then postseason hits, and as we’ve said in, what, like three straight episodes now? The playoffs test every theory. Joe’s Spurs fight hard, but they fall in that second round, 3-2. It felt like every possession was a wrestling match. Meanwhile, the Bulls kept that rhythm and reach the Finals, but—plot twist—the Mavericks take them down, 3-1. Dallas just had their number.

Jimbo

It’s always something with these long playoff runs, right? I mean, Bulls go 7-3 in the postseason, Durant kicks it up to 12.6 points a game, Monk’s still hitting, but something about that Mavericks defense—and timing—just stopped ‘em in their tracks in the Finals. Joe’s playoff Spurs, meanwhile, it’s like, Buzelis drops to 14.4 PPG but keeps them close in every game. But margin for error? Pretty much non-existent.

Simon Carver

It all comes back to the theme we've seen all year: every little edge matters. Whether it’s efficiency, rotation choices, or that one last clutch sequence—every choice stacks toward or against you. One bounce, one missed coverage, and the season book is closed before you know it.

Jimbo

Now, we can’t wrap this era up without a shoutout to the hardware. Matas Buzelis was just everywhere for Joe—grabbed both Rookie of the Year and Clutch Player awards. That’s not easy, especially when your team identity is all hard-fought possessions and zero margin. It’s like those Spurs squads from a few years back, always on the edge but never flinching.

Simon Carver

Absolutely, and you got to give some love to Phillip’s Bulls too—Mark Williams off the bench, nabbing Sixth Man of the Year. His impact all year just kind of slid under the radar, but that kind of depth is what wins fourteen-game sprints. And the stats—Bulls finish with a ridiculous +16.9 point differential in the regular season. That’s, like, not even fair. Spurs, for all their grit, notched a +2.9. That’s a team living dangerously, right on the knife’s edge.

Jimbo

Sometimes that danger brings out a champion, sometimes it means you’re bounced a round early. And team-building choices—Monk’s crazy efficiency, Bam’s ultra-high shooting, Buzelis’ breakout—all come back to those decisions before a single game gets played. Drafting for impact over flash—it paid off for both of these guys, just in different ways.

Simon Carver

And now, the slate’s clean. Feels like stepping onto a blank court before tipoff, or, I don’t know, loading up a brand-new save file. This rivalry keeps reinventing itself every year, every game version. Kinda its own form of hope, y’know? Each new season is another shot at greatness, another chance for someone to tilt that balance.

Jimbo

We’ll see who makes the move in 2K26. I’m telling you, I’m not betting against either of ‘em at this point. But you never know—next episode, next draft, it all starts fresh. Join us next episode, where we go and take a deep dive into Joe and Phillips overall records and percentages. Should be close!

Simon Carver

All right, that’s our cue. Thanks for riding with us through another wild NBA 2K year. Jimbo, always a pleasure, man.

Jimbo

Always, Simon. See y’all next season—can’t wait to see who grabs the first ring in 2k26!

Simon Carver

Take care, everybody. We’ll be back with more rivalry, more drama. Until next time!